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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Knightfall" data-source="post: 1491999" data-attributes="member: 2012">The Alliance (cont.)The camp, early morning:“Sounds like you two had quite the adventure.” Garth watched as Hougwarth scrubbed away the drawing with his boot.“It was a long night.” Kellin looked towards the rising sun. “We weren’t sure if there were more of them. The cold continued to cling to the copse for hours.”“Aye, plus one of the ice trolls started regenerating. We cut it up it and burnt it a second time.” Hougwarth was warming his hands over the fire. The chill had gotten deep into him. He’d need a nice warm bath in a hot spring or something before his temperature would return to normal.“So that’s it,” Dabuk was still suspicious. “You aren’t telling us everything, Hugh. I can feel it.”“Well, you’re just going to have to suffer.” Hougwarth looked the ranger dead in the eye. “I made a promise to Kellin.”Dabuk wondered what their secret could be. He looked at Kellin and them back at Hougwarth. Neither of them said anything else on the matter.*                                        *                                        *Late morning, breaking camp:“It’s not much farther. Perhaps and three days until we reach this city.” Garth looked at the rough map he had of the region. It wasn’t much and was almost 50 years old but it would have to do.“It feels like forever since we left the Knotwood.” Mesik was tired and sore. He was picking rocks out his shoes.“I know what you mean.” Bactra felt so far from home. It was the same feeling he’d had when they’d traveled south through the Great Expanse. “Being away from my kin leaves me with an odd feeling. I was so mad when they took away the spear we found, but I guess, in hindsight, it was for the best.”“Less talk, more packing.” Dabuk was eager to move on. Unlike his cousin he didn’t get homesick. Sure he missed seeing his grandfather but this mission wouldn’t last forever. “I want to get moving in less than an hour. Father?”“Agreed.” Garth looked up from his map in the direction he believed this Onaway was. His eyes caught a glimpse of something coming towards them. “Now what?”“Garth, what is it.” Kellin looked in the direction that his friend was staring. His height gave him the advantage of seeing more detail. “A rider.”“Only one?” Thessa couldn’t see anything.“Just what we don’t need,” Mesik finished tying up his boots. “More trouble.”“Don’t be such a pessimist, Mesik.” Hougwarth stood next to Kellin as the rider came closer.The horse was moving quickly but not so much so that it would tire. The rider was indeed alone and this made Garth wonder if caution wasn’t the best course of action. The horse came to a stop roughly 10 feet from them, it’s rider staring at them intently.“Wow,” Bactra whispered the words hoping only he would hear.The rider was a beauty, to say the least, and elven as well. Dabuk noticed that his cousin was staring so he poked him in the ribs. Still he was just as impressed. Not by her beauty but by her pose. She sat a top the horse, as regal as a queen would. She was draped in white silk from head to toe but held herself as a warrior would.“I am Avaniia. Who are you? Why are you in this region?” Her voice was lilting and Bactra felt his heart skip a beat.“I am Garth Tigerstorm, Justiciar of the Eastern Shores, my companions – my son, Dabuk, his cousin, Bactra Redwind. The hairfoot Mesik Tindertwig and his good friend Thessa Simmial from the Heverkent Forest in the Far South.”“You are a long way from home, little gnome.” Avaniia steadied her horse as it jittered under her. Dabuk could feel its nervousness. He was immediately suspicious of her sincerity.“I go where Baervan guides me, dear lady.” Thessa oozed charm and was in her element.“And the two giants, are they your servants?” She glared at the ogre with disdain.“I am no one’s servant, miss.” The elf’s words cut Kellin deep. “I am Kellin One-Eye.”“Really, never heard of you.” She seemed put off by the ogre man’s words.Garth could tell she was lying. She’d heard of him before or was hiding something.“And this is Hougwarth Medinton, a vonakyndra from the Great Forest.” Kellin introduce the giant man whose friendship he’d come to value as much as anyone he’d known.“Amazing,” Avaniia stared at Hougwarth with fascination. “Here I thought your people were extinct. No offense, of course.”“None taken, dear lady.” Hugh was clueless. He didn’t realize he was being insulted.Garth and Bactra looked at each other. They knew what the other was thinking. She would bring them nothing but trouble.“Not to be rude, but you still haven’t told me why you’ve traveled here. There are better places for a journey. The Wild Plains are not to be traveled lightly.”“We’re traveling to a city called Onaway. Have you heard of it?” Bactra spoke without thinking, blinded by her beauty. He was almost smitten in his eagerness to speak with her.“Yes, but I advise not going there during the night. The archers on its wall shoot first, bury the bodies later.” She seemed intent on discouraging them. “Best to wait outside the city until daybreak.”“We have no choice in the matter. The king of Thallin has sent us to find this city of Onaway and seek an audience with its ruler.” Garth pushed Bactra back staring sternly at the elven women. “Do I know you?”“I don’t think so. Have you ever been to Avion City? That is where I come from and where I am going.” She was trying to play him.“No, I haven’t.” Garth’s eyes were daggers in hers. “Have a nice trip home, Lady Avaniia.” He made sure she knew the conversation was over.She reined her horse and rode off towards the southwest. Garth held up his hand for silence until he was sure she was gone.“You were a little rude, uncle.” Bactra felt like part of his heart was missing.“She’s trouble, cousin.” Dabuk stepped up next to his father. “Father did the right thing. I don’t trust her.”“Neither do I.” Garth was sure it had been her. But how could it be?“Aye,” Kellin nodded in agreement. “Cold as ice that woman be.”“Like I said before. Just what we don’t need,” Mesik sighed. “More trouble.”Bactra saw their scowling faces. He didn’t see it. She had been lovely. He looked at Hougwarth.“Don’t ask me,” the giant man shrugged. “I thought she was delightful.”“We go to Onaway,” Garth walked toward Hindle and the other mounts. “As fast as we can. If we’re lucky, we’ll be there in a day and a half.”“It won’t be soon enough, Garth. She’ll be back.” Kellin gathered his gear.“I know.” Garth started strapping on Hindle’s saddle.“I don’t get it.” Bactra felt confused. “Who is she?”“The Foulsoul.” Dabuk replied.Bactra felt a chill in his bones, remembering Burnholm.*                                        *                                        *</blockquote>

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